IT'S NEARLY HERE!!!!!!!!

It's officially only one week to go until the opening Totally Skill Friday of the 2012-2013 season; the countdown begins! Try and contain yourselves people as this year promises to be our most competitive yet. Who can believe that we have already notched up two full seasons?

STOP PRESS...STOP PRESS...STOP PRESS...STOP PRESS...STOP PRESS...STOP PRESS...STOP
 And exciting news just in: fresh from their triumphant residency at Slane in July and their first appearance at the Orkney Madrigal festival, it has been announced that the Totally Skill League will this year be sponsored by none other than Egg Plant!This is surely a match made in corporate heaven.
(nb: from henceforth, all references to the Egg Plant Totally Skill League must contain the words Egg and Plant, or legal proceedings will be initiated).

Unsporting Behaviour Alert

Ok, so apparentely she asked katie to join her for pints after, but how unsporting was Sofya Ochigava during Katie Taylor's medal ceremony? Not only did she stand with her arms crossed throughout the whole thing, only uncrossing them to receive her silver medal and bouquet, but when the others turned to face the flags for the Irish anthem, she stayed facing the front with arms folded and supercilious smirk on her face. Not the Olympic spirit young lady...

Oh for Pete's Sake...

This news shouldn't be a surprise at all, going by previous rates at Arsenal player recoveries from injuries, but Jack Wilshere now won't be back until October. So basically, pencil in August 2014 for his return. The only plus is that if we're all really, really patient, we might finally get a decent season out of him by the time he's 30, like we have with Tomas Rosicky. I reckon there's a fifth columnist Spurs fan working on the medical team. It's the only explanation....

Nooooooo!!!!!

This is so much worse than the imminent departure of RVP. Lee has taken the money and defected to the abomination that is ITV. And I had so much respect for him. This is even worse than Slaven's taking the Moscow Rouble. Heart = broken. If Liam fecks off to3e, then I really will give up all love for the game...

Best Name EVER Part II

Sure, Mardy Fish is a hell of a name, but check out these guys........

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you................TUNJI BANJO. Played for Leyton Orient, no less, in the late 70's and also for his native Nigeria.

But that's just the aperitif. Please welcome to our Totally Skill world.........

......BONGO CHRIST! Or Christ Bongo. Either way, it's a stunning moniker. And, get this....Bongo played for the Congo. I'm not making this up. There's no way I could..........

Best Name EVER

This man is Mardy Fish and he recently lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Wimbledon.
He also has the best name EVER.
That is all

Totally Euro Skill

A huge thanks to our correspondent Penny for her wonderful updates over the past few weeks. They were a pleasure to read, and seeing as I was stuck on trains and buses for most of the Euro's duration, and trying to steal moments at the laptop in hotels with ludicrously priced Wi-Fi, my contributions were rather thin on the ground. (Excuses, excuses).
So in the 'wrapping up' spirit here at Totally Skill HQ, I now formally submit my awards for the veritable feast of football we have been treated to in Poland and Ukraine. Starting with........

GAME OF THE TOURNAMENT
I was partial to Germany v Greece, purely because the Germans scored a couple of belters, and the Greeks never gave up, even without their insane talisman Karagounis. It was a feisty and open affair, at least until Germany put themselves out of sight towards the end.
Spain v Italy in the first round was pretty tasty too mind you.

PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
Pirlo. Simple. I don't know what hair product he uses, but his silky skills had all the flow and shine of the best that L'Oreal could hope to offer.

PLANK OF THE TOURNAMENT
Again, I have to agree with Penny on this one.....Nasri was lack of class personified. Threw strops, and generally acted like a spoilt brat, while his team were one of the most underwhelming French teams in living memory. At least in 2010, they had the good grace to bow out with an alarming show of ineptitude and all out mutiny. Here, they barely managed a whimper.

DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE TOURNAMENT
From an Irish point of view, it simply has be the manner in which we collapsed across all three group games. Nothing was really expected, and we were in a hell of a group, but it was the fear with which we took the pitch that grated the most. Our players aren't world beaters, but I'm pretty sure they can muster a better effort all round than this. And Trapp needs to go. It ain't going to get any better........